Savvy Shopper

Go furniture hunting with Shannon Eddings and there’s a good chance you’ll end up pulling a table out of a dumpster. The interior designer is a pro at unearthing gems where you’d least expect them — one of the many dollar-stretching tricks she’s put to work in her Austin, TX, home. She and her husband, Sam (pictured here with their kids, Dottie, 3; baby Lucy; and Porter, 5), were first-time buyers with limited cash for updates when they nabbed their 1955 ranch house six years ago. Fortunately the previous owners had already renovated, so the couple needed to make only cosmetic changes. “My approach to decorating has been pretty much DIY,” says Shannon. “For example, if I want a piece of art, I’ll just make it.” She also has a knack for balancing splurges — like glamorous hand-painted wallpaper — with steals — think hand-me-down furniture painted bright white — to create a cohesive look. “My house proves you don’t need tons of money to have a cool space,” she says. “You just need an open mind.”

Kids' Bedroom

Mix-and-Match Art: Although Shannon DIYs a lot of pieces, she also relies on Etsy and stationers like Sycamore Street Press for colorful, affordable prints. The deer bust is from cardboardsafari.com.

Repurposed Dining Chair: Part of a set, this glossy West Elm chair used to live in the dining room but was relocated to Porter and Dottie’s shared bedroom for its kid-friendly color, which plays off the tones in the West Elm rug.

Vintage Dresser: Shannon hunted down this dresser from a dealer in Dallas — and paid only $300 for it. Its mid-century-modern look adds a grown-up touch to the kids’ room.

Guest Bedroom

Rug Wall Hanging: As pretty as art but less expected, this Mexican-style wool rug in the guest room was only $30 at a Dallas consignment shop.

One-of-a-Kind Table: Sam’s uncle — “He’s an old-school craftsman,” says Shannon — made this table as a wedding gift for the couple.

Hand-Me-Down Bed: Most of the beds in the house came from family. This one was Shannon’s grandparents’ and is now painted White Dove by Benjamin Moore. She scored the cozy bedding on sale at Anthropologie.